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Polio vaccine pioneer dies at 96

Dr. Julius S. Youngner, best known for his contributions in the development of the first effective polio vaccine, died in his home Thursday

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Updated: 8:53 PM EDT Apr 29, 2017

Polio vaccine pioneer dies at 96

Dr. Julius S. Youngner, best known for his contributions in the development of the first effective polio vaccine, died in his home Thursday

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Updated: 8:53 PM EDT Apr 29, 2017

PITTSBURGH —

Dr. Julius S. Youngner, best known for his contributions in the development of the first effective polio vaccine, died in his home Thursday.

Youngner received his bachelor of arts in English with a minor in biology from New York University in 1939. As a child, he experienced many infections that sparked his interest in infectious diseases, leading him to peruse his master's degree in microbiology and a doctorate of science microbiology at the University of Michigan.

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From there, he was drafted into the Army to work on the Manhattan Project, where he studied the effects of uranium salts on human tissues.

"Julius Youngner once told a reporter that he intended to stay at the University of Pittsburgh for only a short time following his work on the Manhattan Project. But he soon fell in love with Pitt and the research opportunities here,” Patrick Gallagher, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, said. “I am grateful he stayed and that his work, with Jonas Salk and others, led to the polio vaccine. He was one of the world's pre-eminent virologists and our university community will miss him immensely.”

In 1949, Youngner was recruited to the University of Pittsburgh to assist Jonas Salk in developing an effective polio vaccine.

"Dr. Youngner made monumental contributions to the field of virology,” Dr. Vincent Racaniello, Higgins professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University, said. "For most, simply working with Jonas Salk on the development of the polio vaccine would be enough for a career; he also made important contributions to our understanding of the antiviral roles of interferon, cell culture and other vaccines. It was an honor to meet him at Pitt in January 2016 and I was fortunate to have captured him on video talking about his career. He was a kind, well respected and thoughtful scientist who will be missed."

Youngner received a number of awards, including the Polio Plus Achievement Award, an honorary doctor of public service from the University of Pittsburgh, the Chancellor's Medal from the University of Pittsburgh, and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics established an annual lecture series in his honor.